Bacik calls for “emergency action” on housing

Labour leader Ivana Bacik has criticised Government for “consistently failing on housing” as the latest figures from the Residental Tenancies Board show that the average rent in Dublin has hit an average of €2,100 a month.

“These new figures provide a stark reminder of the scale of the housing crisis in Ireland. People are struggling to afford rent, and many are being forced to live in overcrowded or substandard accommodation,” saying that the current housing situation in Ireland “is not sustainable.”

The Dublin Bay South TD said the housing crisis is a contributing factor to the “huge numbers of young people having to remain living with their parents well into their 30s,” placing Ireland well above the European average.

“The Government needs to take urgent action to address the housing crisis. We need to build more social and affordable housing.”

Bacik called on Government to implement Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill, which she claims “would introduce a transparency register for landlords so that tenants can see what previous rents have been paid for a property.”

“We cannot afford to wait any longer,” she said. “the Government must take urgent action to build more homes and make housing more affordable for everyone.”

The Labour leader has taken Government to task over housing in recent times, notably calling for a “structural revolution” in the housing market.

“Generational inequality continues to widen, despite record budget surpluses and high GDP. Those who are trapped renting or living with their parents cannot afford to move on or move out” and said “the government needs to step in and step up to change this,” Bacik said in July.